Emanuel Navarrete’s effort to meet Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez in a unification bout will first require a negotiation with Navarrete’s mandatory contender, Charly Suarez, officials connected to the situation told BoxingScene on Monday.
Navarrete, 39-2-1 (32 KOs), controversially retained his WBO junior lightweight belt in his May 10 bout in San Diego with the Philippines’ Suarez, 18-0 (10 KOs). The fight initially went to the scorecards because of a bad cut over Navarrete’s left eye, which the referee ruled came from a clash of heads. The scores were 78-75 and 77-76 (twice). Suarez’s team appealed, and the California State Athletic Commission acknowledged that replays showed the cut was caused by a Suarez punch, not a headbutt. But the commission converted the result to a no contest, rather than a Suarez victory.
The WBO then ruled Navarrete should negotiate with Suarez for a rematch to occur next at an appropriate time following Navarrete’s cut healing.
BoxingScene has learned that since Navarrete appeared in the ring to congratulate Mexican countryman Nunez after an 6 IBF title defense over Christopher Diaz on September 6, officials from his team, promoter Top Rank and Nunez promoter Matchroom Boxing have contacted the WBO to express interest in a unification bout.
The parties learned that Suarez holds the key.
Navarrete must either reach a financial step-aside deal with Suarez to allow the Nunez fight to occur next, or he must strike an agreement for future considerations connected to a future bout, BoxingScene has learned.
Navarrete and Nunez, 29-1 (27 KOs), would likely stand as a thunderous match between fighters with a combined 59 knockouts.
One official familiar with tentative plans for the bout said financial negotiations still need to take place and that the fight seems destined to be a Matchroom-promoted show on DAZN in early 2026, given Top Rank’s absence of a television deal.
The official said a likely destination for the bout is the greater Phoenix area, where Navarrete defeated former two-division titleholder Oscar Valdez in 2024 (by knockout) and 2023 (unanimous decision) while also defeating Liam Wilson there earlier in 2023.
